Religion Gameplay
The Setting of My Rozhdeny V Dolg has a consistent divine magic system that reflects devotion of anyone who has been raised in a religious society. This consistency covers different religions. The gods and their worshipers have mostly the same arrangement of benefits despite the differences between religions. Although there are several articles that detail various religions, this is to define the setting and inspire roleplaying. These articles we are going to go into the game mechanics of Religion on Dolg and use a universal language to explain the mechanics. Some religions might have different names for their expression of devotion, but that will be in the setting articles. Here within these articles are the cold hard rules which brings such warmth when fully crunched.
There are four basic benefits that Piety provides within any religion, although they have some variance between religions. They are:
Gaining and Losing Piety can be played through role-playing, narrative choices, and using gaming systems. It depends on the player and the adventure they are in. This same system is used for Favor and Disfavor with specific gods. Although it varies between religions the principle is the same. Here are the basics:
Piety
Members of a religion will have a Piety score (that similarly acts like a Faction score if you are familiar with the Forgotten Realms setting) which can be anywhere from -10 to 50. This score represents the devotion through the rituals, tributes, offerings, sacrifices, expectations, boasts, vows, and oaths that is prescribed by the religion. Each religion has a worldview that filters through all these aspects, but this is not about faith. Most members of a religion have been raised on that religion; so acts of devotion are 2nd nature. like expecting to wake up in the morning when you go to bed. Faith and zeal are things for roleplaying during the game, but can be pursued through these game mechanics. Piety and devotion are judge by the gods through actions, not intentions or faith; which means, some people can hate their gods and still have a high Piety Score.
What can Piety do for ME!
There are four basic benefits that Piety provides within any religion, although they have some variance between religions. They are:
- Divine Benefits: As your Piety Score increases, there are specific benefits to choose from that are gained from your religion. Religious classes might have different choices from other members; but the higher the score the score, the more customization to your hero. These are outlined under specific religions.
- Divine Intervention: This is an action that a member can perform once every two weeks or after attending a ritual/ceremony [the two weeks is reset to 0 after attending a ceremony, like having a Long Rest.] The hero can pray to the gods for divine intervention over a specific action, difficulty, or indirect aid, information, and guidance. The player rolls a D100; if under their Piety Score, then the gods act to the request; if over their Piety Score, then nothing.
- Divine Favor and Disfavor: The double edge sword when playing with the divine. The higher your Piety Score gets, the more attention you get from the gods. This is a goal that most religions want from their members. At some point, a particular god will grant you Favor, causing possibly another god to have Disfavor. Although this will mess around with the narrative, setting, and roleplaying aspects; the mechanics work like this: Favor and Disfavor have their own separate score between 3-15 per god (it takes a lot gaming to go beyond 9.) When making a Divine Intervention check; if you roll over your Piety Score but within your Favor Score of a God that is added, then that god intervenes. EXP: A member has Piety of 20, and has Favor with the God Balshal of 4. The member makes a Divine Intervention roll, the range results would be D100: 1-20; the gods generically intervene; if the player rolled 21-25, then Balshal (Favor 4) directly acts on the request. Disfavor works the same way, but from the top of D100. If the member has Disfavor from the god Wickson (Dis 6), and made a Divine Intervention roll, the Disfavored god would intervene disruptively on the countdown from 100. If the player rolled 94 or higher on the D100, then the god Wickson directly acts to fuck up the hero's shit.
- Pissing Contest: Several societies use Piety as social measure; rather than objective merit. Depending on the religion, having a higher Piety Score over others will produce a social advantage to a skill or more.
Gaining and Losing Piety can be played through role-playing, narrative choices, and using gaming systems. It depends on the player and the adventure they are in. This same system is used for Favor and Disfavor with specific gods. Although it varies between religions the principle is the same. Here are the basics:
- Observing the Rites: Call it tithing or participating, but every religion demands a cost one way or another. From a game system point of view, it is either time or money from your hero for every seasonIt can be attending weekly/daily rituals, celebrating monthly holidays, daily prayer (for non-clerics) or making donations in materials or gold. Every season has it's rites to be observe within all religions and your heroes are expected to perform in them by the gods and society. This is more of life style choice, until the gods claim that it is not. Heroes can choose three ways to participate with Observing the Rites they are:
- Modest: Your Hero is keeping up appearances, doing the lease amount to keep your Piety Score where it is at. You are investing 2-4% of your time or wealth for this season to keep your Piety Score at the start of the season. Classism is an issue here.
- Distinct: Your Hero is trying to gain more notice by the gods than the status que; therefore, they are investing more to the gods. This will increase their Piety Score from the start of the season by offering more than the Modest 2-4% of time or wealth in a exponential cost. 4-16% will increase your Piety Score by 1, 16-64% by 2. The more you spend, the more control over where it goes. When a Hero chooses the Distinct version, they may split 1/2 their cost to increase/decrease whatever god they want Favor/Disfavor.
- Calculated: When a Hero chooses the Distinct version, they may split 1/2 their cost to increase/decrease whatever god they want Favor/Disfavor at the same time they are increasing their normal Piety.
- Although there is plenty for a player to explore with roleplay and the narrative, this is ideal for those players who want to crunch the system. They want the benefits of Piety without bogging down the game sessions with the how and why. This does not mean they get Piety free from repercussions; just that they don't have a scene for every Piety boost.
- Making Declarations, Dedications, & Vows: These are things your hero can do during game sessions that could increase your Piety.
- Declarations: These are minor vows that if accomplished can get you noticed by the gods. If you do not accomplish them, nothing happens.
- Dedication: These are actions your hero has offered up to the gods or a specific god, and your victory/success is for them. The spoils go to the god(s) not to you. If you gain anything from your action, success or failure, you lose Piety.
- Vows: This is similar Observing Rites, that it takes time to gain Piety. Your Hero vows a particular action (either to always or never do) until a certain result has come (frequently their death.) NOTE: this is different from Paladin's Oaths.
- Divine Callings: The higher your Piety Score or Favor from a god, the greater chance that a god or your god, will call on you to do something in service of the gods or god. Most members of a religion are lucky to receive a calling a few times within their lives; however, the most devote and influential will be called several times within their lives. The catch is that your Piety rises or falls; if you succeed or fail.
- Divine Habituation: It is a sad fact that all the gods eventually get use to the devotion that they receive from members (your hero.) Like any intuition, the more consistent a member excels; the more that their achievement becomes standards and expected. The gods will eventually diminish the rewards for the same repetitive choices by your Hero and unfairly penalized for failure. As your Heroes' Piety Score get higher, the gods will directly or indirectly demand more.
- Losing Piety: Well it's obvious; do not piss off the gods, do not desecrate hollow grounds, and do not fail.
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